RAIPUR,
OCT. 25.
The Chhattisgarh Government today said all the eleven policemen, who were part of the team that killed three naxalites in an encounter in Sarguja district on Friday, would be given out-of-turn promotions.

``The eleven-member police party was engaged in an encounter with 18 armed naxalites, out of which three were eliminated and at least six were injured. The team was being rewarded for its exemplary courage,'' Home department sources told PTI here.

Rajpur Station House Officer Ashok Kujur was leading the police party for the operation and officers SHO Dhourpur Emanual Lakda and Assistant Platoon Commander Jaypratap Singh Parihar were part of the team which also included a head constable and constables-- all of whom would get promotions.

Giving details of the incident, the sources said on October 19, MCC ultras led by Commander Bhim Kodaku, had shot and injured a student for not opening the door of his house, following which the police party launched a search operation for the ultras.

On getting information that the gang was in Mahudand village, police reached the place and surrounded the ultras from two sides, but the naxalites opened fire and in the ensuing gun battle three ultras were killed and at least six were injured, whom the Maoists had carried away, the sources said. PTI